When it comes to downsizing to a flat, it’s important to understand that there are quite a few things to keep in mind. The process of downsizing is often quite tricky, but at the same time, it’s also important to acknowledge that there are things you can do to make it a lot easier.
To try and help you make the best possible decisions, we’ve collected a few pieces of information about downsizing and put together a guide.
Minimalism and Clearing Out
The first and most important thing to think about when it comes to downsizing to a flat is whether or not, you actually need to keep all the things that you own. Lots of us accumulate stuff that we don’t use, it’s left in the back of the cupboard for years, and then, when it actually comes time to move house, we find that we dig up stuff we haven’t seen for the better part of a decade. If this happens, then it’s about time that you think about throwing it away or giving it a brand-new home. Having less to move also helps make things cheaper when finding a local removal company!
Lots of people turn to minimalism as a practice because it is very easy to adopt and put an emphasis on a few belongings. Minimalism broadly translates to only keeping things that enrich your life, so a lot of extraneous items often find themselves given way or thrown away. It’s a good trick for downsizing at any rate.
Plan Carefully
When it comes to downsizing, one of the best things that you can do is plan carefully how you’re going to do things. Visit the flat quite a few times and take measurements about the kind of things that you see. Make a note of the available space, and work out where you’re going to put things when you move.
Thankfully, there are a good collection of both short and long-term storage solutions available out there, and it’s easy to find one that works for you. The best thing that you can do is to take a look at all of the different options that are available when it comes to storage, and then use those to get the best results.
Storage (External)
For some people, downsizing to a flat is not a permanent move. Many people upgrade to a smaller flat whilst they are waiting to move house, or simply because they are in between living arrangements. If this is the case, and you don’t want to get rid of some of your stuff, you might want to consider putting some of it into storage for a few months.
London has a lot of slang terms that are used freely by the general public, and these can be very confusing if you’re not familiar with them. It’s worth taking a quick Google to try and find out some of the common ones, and if you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask somebody, most people are polite and helpful.
Stairs
Downsizing in any property is a delicate balancing act, and the best thing that you can do is to make sure you have considered. How are you going to move everything into your new home? Think about the flat in question, and whether or not it’s up several flights of stairs. If it is, then you are definitely going to need a removal company to help you do things. Alternatively, there may be a few items that you can move yourself.
Removal Companies
When it comes to downsizing to a flat, it’s important to consider that you do need to explore removal companies. Removal companies are a great tool that you can use to effectively move all of your belongings all at once, but you need to look around for the right company.
Don’t be afraid to shop around and get quotes from each of the individual moving companies that are available to figure out what will be best for you. Most will be more than happy to give you a no obligation quote to help you make a decision.
New Purchases
Downsizing to a flat often means that you have to make a few new purchases. This is a pretty normal part of moving into a flat, but it does have a big impact on the way that you do things. You need to think about the kind of big purchases that you will need to make, and how this will be affected by the resources that you have available and the space that is now present.
For example, you may want to think about condensing your fridge and freezer into a single unit, or sacrificing your dishwasher. It’s all about using the space that you have available to the best of your ability, and in some cases, this means making brand-new purchases.
Pets?
Owning a pet complicates the moving process significantly, so you need to work out whether or not your pet will be allowed in the new flat, and where you’re going to put them whilst you are moving. In most cases, the smartest decision you can make is just leaving your pets with a friend or relative for the day while you move in and removing them from the equation.
Final Thoughts
So, when it comes to trying to downsize to a flat, there are definitely a few considerations. It’s important to make sure that you do this in the right way, because otherwise, it can be a very stressful process.
Downsizing is often a good way to save money and enjoy a brand-new space, but it does mean you have to be a little bit sensible with how you make decisions. At the end of the day, you have to try and prioritise getting as much space as possible, which means that it’s easy to pick and choose the best results.
Ultimately, with enough planning and preparation, downsizing to a flat is quite easy. It’s the best way to get the ideal results, and you can very easily experiment with different options to figure out what works best for you.
